Progress Report 34

Despite semi-retirement, I seem to have had less time to indulge in modelling than when I was working full time. Maybe when I come to the end of the list of household jobs which have been accumulated over the past 30 years, I'll have a little more time for the railway.

More figures

Since my last Progress Report (see Progress Report 33), I've slowly been accumulating more figures to populate the railway, courtesy of eBay.

One of the difficulties I've found about buying figures from eBay is that 'G Scale' covers a multitude of scales from 1:32 to 1:19. As a consequence, some figures I have bought are grossly under scale whilst others seem to be relative giants. As my model is supposed to represent a 3ft narrow gauge railway, the scale I am working to is 15mm to the foot or 1:20.3, 16mm scale figures (1:19) are therefore slightly over scale.

Locomotives

At long last I have completed the repaint and the lining for the Barclay 2-4-0 (Beeston - No. 2)

and also for loco No. 3 (Bickerton), a Hunslet-inspired 0-4-0 (See How I constructed the Hunslet from a GRS kit)

Both have been finished in the railway's livery of Humbrol Brunswick Green with gold (Trimline) lining (see How I lined my locos with Trimline tape). I am slowly improving my spray painting techniques though it is still something which I approach with a certain amount of trepidation.

Work has started on bashing the ToyTrain diesel into a more prototypical model based on those constructed in the 1920s and 30s by Fowler (see How I bashed a ToyTrain diesel into an early Fowler)

I am presently working on trying to adapt the chassis to add a layshaft and fly cranks. Once I have the chassis sorted I will turn my attention to the body which, I'm hoping, will be less complicated and traumatic than hacking the chassis about.

Coaching stock

I am also in the process of making two Andel coach kits of Ashover Railway coaches (see How I constructed two Ashover coaches from Andel kits - pending). I picked these up on eBay a couple of years ago when I wasn't sure what coaches I wanted to have for the railway. Once the kits have been completed I will try them out on the line to see if I can use them as reserve coaching stock.

Goods stock

Four more open wagons have been constructed using chassis from Hartland and bodies cast in resin from my own moulds (see How I made my third batch of open wagons from resin).

These will join the existing collection of open wagons. Ultimately I want to have at least 20 open wagons as these will form the mainstay of the goods rolling stock, as per my two inspirational prototypes - the Welshpool & Llanfair and the Southwold Railways.

Pruning and over-wintering

Outdoors, the shrubs and more energetic plants have been pruned back

and the vulnerable concrete overbridges have been covered to protect them from frost.

The Workshop

I've spent a bit of time (and money) on improving facilities in the workshop. This is situated on one side of the conservatory (with thanks to my other half). I've lengthened and widened the shelves - on which I store ongoing projects and stock requiring remedial attention - the casualty bay!

In addition, I've extended the workbench. This was originally a pine dressing table discarded by my daughter. A large piece of pine shelving (discarded by my other half) was almost tailor-made to fit the available space.

To do

Next on the list are:

• Weathering the second rake of tipper wagons (see How I weathered some LGB tippers)
• Bashing the LGB Zillertalbahn 0-6-2 into something inspired by the Southwold Railway Manning Wardle (Wenhaston) - (See How I constructed a Manning Wardle 0-6-2T)
• Engine shed for Beeston Market Station (see How I constructed an engine shed)
  
• Goods sheds for Beeston Market, Peckforton and Bickerton stations
• Industrial buildings and loading hoppers for the Copper Mine (see Progress Report 45 and How I constructed the Mine Buildings - pending)
  

One thing you can say about garden railway modelling - there is never nothing to do!